The Academy of Country Music (ACM) has only just wrapped up its annual awards ceremony, but has already made the move to confirm next year’s ceremony will return to Las Vegas.
The 2027 ACM Awards have been confirmed for May 16, 2027, with the grand event returning to the MGM Grand Garden Arena. It has also been announced that the awards will be streamed on Prime Video.
The ACM Awards have been held annually since their inception in 1966. Although there is no fixed venue for the ceremony, most of the events this century have been held in Las Vegas.
ACM Awards 2027
While the organisers haven’t yet announced the host, they have confirmed that next year’s event will return to the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The 17,000-seat venue is located within the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino.
The arena opened in 1993 and is recognised for its beneficial sightlines provided within the bowl design, as well as its state-of-the-art amenities.
Recently, it hosted rapper ASAP Rocky and stars including Charli XCX and The Smashing Pumpkins are set to feature in the coming months.
The awards have been televised since 1972, with Amazon’s Prime Video taking over the reins from CBS in 2022.
In May 2025, it was announced Prime Video had paid for the rights to show the awards for another three years, which means it will be a regular fixture until at least 2028.
A Las Vegas Boost
Reports suggest the 2026 event generated more than $50m for the local area, bringing a much-needed economic boost to the area.
Las Vegas has seen visitor numbers dwindle in recent years. Previously, casino tourism was the main driver of visitors to the city. However, players now have more access to casino live games online, complete with bonuses and sizeable jackpots, which has been thought to impact the casinos in Vegas.
As well as the convenience of online gaming, Sin City’s slight downturn in visitor numbers has also been attributed to pricing policies by hotels and casinos.
Despite reduced visitor numbers, Vegas has managed to sustain revenue and profit figures, especially thanks to economic diversification.
Las Vegas’s Musical Heritage
Vegas has long been a popular destination for musicians. Superstars like Elvis Presley, Celine Dion, U2, and Elton John have brought hundreds of millions of dollars to venues with some of the biggest Vegas residencies.
Another star that has enjoyed successful residencies is country music star Shania Twain. Her most recent residency, Come On Over, ran for 9 months at Planet Hollywood’s Bakkt Theatre. Twain has previously had two other runs in Vegas.
Her popularity saw the ‘Man! I Feel Like A Woman’ singer given the honour of hosting this year’s ACM Awards, her first time in the hot seat. Next year’s presenter has not yet been named, but Twain could host again.
First time hosting the @ACMAwards!! Now what will I wear? 🤠 looking forward to a night of Country Music and celebrating musical talent in my favourite city! https://t.co/tdieUvE3vA
— Shania Twain 💎💎💎 (@ShaniaTwain) April 22, 2026
Blake Shelton and Luke Bryan have both hosted five ceremonies, while Reba McEntire has hosted an incredible 18 awards. Other globally recognised names to have hosted the event include Carrie Underwood, Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton, and Keith Urban, showing the range of iconic stars to host the event over the years.
